French Citizen Detained in Senegal Over Homosexuality Charges

On February 14, 2026, police in Senegal arrested a French citizen. He was charged with “acts against nature”, criminal conspiracy, money laundering, and attempting to transmit HIV.

The detainee is a 30-year-old engineer living in Dakar, the capital of Senegal. He was arrested during a series of raids targeting LGBT people. The French consulate in Dakar is monitoring the situation and maintains contact with his family. Diplomats have already visited him four times in detention.

The arrest took place amid a rise in homophobia in Senegal. In early March, the country’s parliament passed a new law, which President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed on March 31. Under the new legislation, homosexual relations in Senegal are punishable by five to ten years in prison. Harsher penalties for homosexuality had been a long-standing promise of the ruling party.

Representatives of the French diplomatic service confirmed the arrest and stated that the country continues to advocate for the universal decriminalization of homosexuality and the protection of LGBT rights worldwide.